More gardens, and a steamboat to Albany

Tuesday, September 2nd, 1823 – I visited, at the advice of Dr Hosack, a friend of his seven miles from town, who is a fruit grower. I obtained a curious sort of bean of South American origin..... I rode in the afternoon with Dr Hosack to some of his friends, fourteen miles from town.

Wednesday, September 3rd, 1823 – The greatest part of this day I spent with Mr Shaw, a private gentleman of this city, who is a fruit grower of more than ordinary merit. His garden is about two acres, occupied solely with peaches and grapes. His peaches are in excellent state of bearing, only four years old. He has a plant of Isabella grape, trained up over the veranda of his house, covering a space of about 75 feet in length, and has a very weighty crop, thought to prove a valuable thing in wine or probably dessert.

Thursday, September 4th, 1823 – [Douglas finally leaves town, after 4 days delay] At 5 o’clock this morning I went on board the steamboat ‘James Kent’ and proceeded up the River Hudson towards Albany. The scenery was particularly fine on the west side; the perpendicular rocks covered with wood. About forty miles from New York, in the highlands, many pleasant villas are seen from the river. West Point is still pointed out to strangers.
At half-past 1 o’clock I went ashore at Governor Lewis’, eighty miles from New York

[#1 ie. travelling at around 9½ mph, upstream against the current. That is pretty good progress if DD is accurate in his distance-keeping. I suspect not quite.

#2 Governor Morgan Lewis was by this time no longer Governor so the title is a courtesy one. He had been the third Governor of New York between 1804 & 1807, but was still a person of great power and influence, and well placed to facilitate Douglas’s work]. 

Calling at his house I found that he and his family were on a visit to the western part of the State, I then made towards an inn, to obtain refreshment, which was three miles distant.  In the afternoon I took a walk by the side of the Hudson.  I found nothing interesting except a rose which was growing out of a crevice of rock

Friday September 5th, 1823 – At 5 o’clock this morning I was aroused from bed by a James Thomson, Jun, of Ellerslie, who is a neighbour to Governor Lewis. He very kindly took me from the tavern [they start early don’t they] and afforded me his house during my stay there. I received great attention from Mrs Thomson, which was thankfully acknowledged…..I stayed here all day; went to bed early as I intended to take the steamboat for Albany which passed early the following morning.

A steamboat service on the Hudson was now well-established  and Douglas made full use of it. Steamboat service between Albany and New York City continued unabated for over 150 years. By 1823, the Fulton and Livingston Line was running daily Monday through Saturday with the James Kent [which Douglas caught out of NYC] and the Saratoga, alternating the two boats every other day, one leaving Albany and the other leaving New York City.

http://newyorkhistoryblog.org/2015/08/11/early-years-of-steamboating-on-the-hudson/

Saturday, September 6th, 1823 – [an early start for our man] I embarked in the ‘Richmond’ steamboat on her way to Albany at 1 o’clock am. Very little difference in point of scenery etc from that which i had seen two days before.  At 11 o’clock I arrived at Albany. I waited on His Excellency Governor Clinton, who showed me attention, desiring me to call the following day and he would consult with me as to my route.

I went to the vegetable market.... [blah, blah, same old, same old!]